Pontoon skid



Sept. 23

J. M. H. JACOBS PONTOON SKID Filed Dec. 12. 1921 Patented Sept. 23, W24.

STATE listener earner JAMES M. H. JACOBS, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T DAYTON-WRIGHT COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

' PONTOON SKID.

Application filed December 12, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. H. JACOBS, a citizen of the United States of America,

, residing at Dayton, county of Montgomery, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pontoon Skids (Docket #40), of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to detachable caterpillar skids for moving vehicles more easily over. land and is especially designed for use in moving water aircraft from the water upon land, or vice versa.

The general object of my invention is to provide rolling means with an endless belt track running thereon, adapted to be inserted under the aircraft whereby the aircraft may be transported over land more easily than heretofore.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the prescut invention is nlearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a skid and showing it attached to a pontoon of a sealane.

p Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a part of the skid and showing the roller means in greater detail.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the part shown in Fig. 2 with parts broken away.

Fig. 4: is a front view of a seaplane showing the roller skids in position on the pontoons. I

In the drawings, like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The reference numeral 10 is applied to the main side plates of the skid frame. The cross braces 11 hold the side plates together by being rigidly fastened thereto. These cross braces 11 are also formed on their upper side to conform appromixately to the bottom shape of the pontoons (see Fig. 4.) and are designed to support the weight of the craft when it is restm upon the skids.

The plates 10 have journa led therein near the bottom edge a series of rollers 12. These rollers are preferably formed of wood with a steel shaft running through its center and projecting at the ends to form the journals Serial No. 521,587.

bearing upon the rods 13. Running upon the rollers 12 is an endless belt 16 made of canvas, leather, or other suitable material, and securely attached to this belt 16 are the narrow cross strips 17. These strips 17 are made of wood, preferably, and constitute a support or track for the rollers 12 to run upon. When running over mud or soft ground these strips distribute the weight of the machine over the entire flat bottom of the skid and thus prevent it from sinking deeply into the mud, as would be the case with any sort of wheels or rollers having no endless track. The rollers 12 are so positioned in the side plates 10 that the endless track approaches the ground at an incline in front as -clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and for very obvious reasons. Of course if desired the rear end of the skid could also be similarly shaped to enable the skid to travel backward as easily as forward.

The skids are preferably constructed to float, but with only a small buoyant force. Therefore the skids can be floated out to a plane which it is desired to beach and then be easily immersed and allowed to rise up in place under the potoons. Preferably they are held'in place by flexible straps 20 which extend over the top of the pontoons and hold the skids firmly thereto.

With this skid arrangement the plane can ordinarily be beached or launched with its own power. After a plane has been launched the straps 20 are unfastened and the skids removed either by immersing by hand or by simply allowing the plane to ride ofi under its own power as there will be onl a small amount of friction between the ski s and pontoon due to the small buoyancy of the skid. If necessary the skid may have small air chambers to enable it to float. If

desired, of course, it may be made heavier than water and allowed to sink when detached after launching a plane.

This device can be easily adapted to a til double or single pontoon seaplane or to a flying boat.

While the shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A detachable ontoon skid, for beaching or floating seap anes comprising a frame member substantially conforming to the shape of the pontoon, a series of rollers supported in said frame member, and a caterpillar track running on the rollers, said skid being slightly buoyant in Water and adapted to be immersed and allowed to rise up under the pontoon of the seaplane, and

form of -mechanism herein means for securing said skid to said pontoon.

2. A skid for beaching seaplanes or the like, having a caterpillar tread and being floatable in water whereby the skid may be floated out to a seaplane on the water and easily immersed and allowed to rise up under the pontoon of the seaplane, and means for attachin said skid to the pontoon to secure it in place while the seaplane is being beached.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

J. M. H. JACOBS. Witnesses:

L. H. EMRIOK, R. K. LEE. 

